One current Point Loma High School athlete will be playing at Dartmouth University next year while two graduates are making big contributions at their universities.

McEachern gets nod at Dartmouth

Current senior Katie McEachern has been introduced by Dartmouth University as a member of its class of 2016 softball recruit signings.

The talented student has distinguished herself both in the classroom and from her position as a shortstop on the league-leading Pointer varsity squad.

Rachel Hanson, head coach of the Dartmouth Big Green program, named only five players from across the United States invited to enroll at the Ivy League campus in New Hampshire.

“Katie’s a player that always finds a way to get it done,” Hanson said. “Every time our coaching staff saw her play, she got a hit or made a big defensive stop, (often) in high-pressure situations. We’re looking forward to watching her take on the Ivy League.”

Indeed, McEachern’s prep career was filled with honors, including Western League Player of the Year last year as a junior. She played on a travel team that won the 2011 Adidas Futures National Championship. Academically, she earned the PLHS Advanced Placement Scholar Award.

Freshman Urbon leads Cornell to title

Freshman pitcher Kellen Urbon (PLHS class of 2011) was named College Baseball 360 Primetime Pitcher of the Week after his impressive 6.1-inning relief appearance brought victory to his Cornell team, defeating Ivy League favorite Princeton in the 12-inning finale of a four-game series.

Urbon’s win earned the Ithaca, N.Y. university first place in the league’s Gehrig Division, sending them against Rolfe Division champion Dartmouth, whom they defeated at home May 6 for the league championship. Urbon pitched the final five innings of the 11-inning finale, picking up the victory as he scattered two hits before teammate Chris Cruz’s walk-off home run ended matters.

Working as a closer this season, Urbon averaged 1.2 innings per appearance, but far exceeded that in the title game, allowing only one unearned run, striking out five, while allowing three hits and a pair of walks in the pressure-filled contest.

For the season, Urbon recorded a 0.51 earned run average, nine saves and held opposing batters to a .163 batting average, all team-leading marks.

Cox, Menlo College win NAIA tourney

After losing his starting shortstop position in mid-season, Pointer alum Coleman Cox (2009) worked his way back into the lineup before leading Menlo College to its first-ever NAIA West Regional Tournament title May 5 in Portland, Ore.

Not only did Cox, a junior, bat .429 (9-for-21) in the tourney, but he threw out a runner from top-seeded College of Idaho at the plate for the final out in a dramatic 5-4 10th-inning victory to secure the title for his third-seeded Oaks.

Earlier in the same final game, Cox’s two-run double in the sixth inning erased a one-run COI lead. But after COI tied the game to force extra innings, Menlo scored in the top of the 10th, setting up Cox’s game-ending throw.

Cox and his teammates advanced to the NAIA Baseball National Championship opening round that took place earlier this week. Nine different sites in the U.S. hosted a five-team, double-elimination tourney leading to the 56th annual Avista-NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Ind. from May 25-June 1.